Chapter 164: Kin by Heart

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Kin by Heart

Ysoria was still furious.

"I do not want to hear another word out of your mouth."

Melissa stood completely dazed while Ysoria looked at her with cold disappointment.

"I only respect you because you raised three children for my brother. And this is how you behave?"

Her voice was filled with restrained anger.

"You bullied the Duchess of Draevenor and then tried to deceive me. You even wanted me to persuade Cassiel to cast her aside."

She glanced towards Elysia before turning her attention back to Melissa.

"If anyone should be thrown out, it is you and your foolish son."

Melissa’s face drained of colour.

She had nothing left to say.

Elysia quietly lowered her eyes.

The plan she had worked so carefully to arrange had succeeded.

Not exactly as she had expected.

But perhaps even better.

Ysoria glanced at her.

For the first time since arriving at the pavilion, there was a trace of awkwardness in her expression.

"Shall we head back?"

Elysia nodded obediently.

"Yes, Aunt."

The two women began walking back together.

For a while, neither spoke.

The silence between them felt strangely strained.

Elysia did not know how to begin.

Ysoria had just learned that she had misunderstood her from the very beginning. And although Elysia had not deliberately tried to win her sympathy, Ysoria’s attitude towards her had clearly changed.

Before Elysia could think of anything to say, they rounded the flower wall.

A wheelchair stood quietly in the shadows ahead.

Cassiel sat upright in it.

He seemed to be waiting for them.

The moment Elysia saw him, the tension in her chest loosened.

Then another thought struck her.

This spot was not far from the pavilion.

Anyone with decent hearing could have caught at least some of what had been said.

Which meant Cassiel might have heard everything.

Including her soft, pitiful act in front of Ysoria.

Heat rushed to Elysia’s face.

She immediately lowered her eyes.

Ysoria, however, did not seem to notice her embarrassment.

"Cassiel? What are you doing out here?"

"I have something to discuss with you."

His answer was plain.

Elysia glanced at him.

Then, without giving herself time to overthink it, she spoke quickly.

"I shall go on ahead."

She turned at once.

Reeve, who had been uncomfortable ever since he noticed Cassiel waiting there, immediately seized the opportunity.

"I shall head back as well."

He did not wait for anyone’s response.

Within moments, he and Elysia had slipped away in opposite directions, almost as though they were fleeing.

Cassiel watched them disappear.

He remained silent for a moment.

Reeve leaving was understandable.

But why was Elysia running away?

His brows drew together slightly.

He could have called her back.

Instead, after a moment’s thought, he decided it made no difference.

He turned his attention to his aunt.

"What did you want to say?"

Ysoria looked at him seriously.

"You’ve heard that I’ve loved someone for years. Because of her, I refused to marry all these years."

Ysoria gave a short huff.

"Of course I’ve heard. I always wondered who she was—the woman who had you so devoted to her."

She shook her head.

"But you would never tell me a thing."

Cassiel was quiet for a moment.

Then he said evenly, "The woman I love is my wife, Elysia."

Ysoria froze.

Her eyes widened.

"You mean the Duchess?"

Cassiel nodded.

"Yes."

Ysoria stared at him.

"She is the one?"

"Yes."

For a moment, she simply looked at him as though trying to reconcile everything she had known with this revelation.

"Then why did you keep it secret?"

Cassiel’s expression remained calm.

"Because she is a woman."

Ysoria’s expression shifted.

"In this world, a woman’s reputation is fragile. One careless rumour can ruin her."

His voice was quiet, but there was an unmistakable firmness beneath it.

"If I had allowed anything to slip, gossip would have torn her apart. I would not let that happen."

Ysoria slowly understood.

She had always wondered why Cassiel had refused every marriage proposal despite his position.

Why a man with wealth, power and a reputation that made half the kingdom wary had remained stubbornly unmarried.

Now she finally knew.

"So now that you are properly married, you can finally say it."

Cassiel gave a quiet sound of agreement.

In her mind though, Ysoria still struggled to accept it.

"You are the Duke of Draevenor and His Majesty’s only brother. If you wanted to marry someone, who would dare refuse you?"

She shook her head.

"And yet you waited all those years."

Cassiel pressed his fingers briefly to his brow.

"She is much younger than I am."

Ysoria stared at him.

"Then you could have just brought her home earlier."

A faint laugh escaped Cassiel.

"She and Vaelen grew up together. They were close in age and close in heart."

His expression became more subdued.

"I could not bring myself to come between them."

Ysoria’s brows lifted.

"Then why did you marry her now?"

"She went to His Majesty herself and asked to marry me."

A small smile curved Cassiel’s lips.

Ysoria’s expression grew complicated.

"And she and Vaelen..."

"She does not love him now."

His answer was clear and without hesitation.

Ysoria nodded slowly.

She could believe that.

After everything she had witnessed tonight, she no longer saw Elysia as the calculating woman Melissa had described.

Cassiel’s expression shifted.

"There is something more important..."

Ysoria immediately became attentive.

"In a few days, I will head north to meet Lieutenant Rennor. It will be very dangerous."

Ysoria’s expression tightened.

"Elysia will remain in Caelvyr. But because of my position, she will face risks while I am away. I hope you can look after her."

Ysoria sighed.

"I feel as though she must resent me."

"She will not."

Cassiel’s answer came without hesitation.

"She has always been broad-minded."

Ysoria fell silent.

After a moment, her expression softened.

"Then I should give her something to make it up to her."

Cassiel looked at her.

"Something?"

"Jewellery? Paintings?"

She considered it seriously.

"Or perhaps a manor."

Cassiel blinked.

"One manor is not enough?"

Ysoria waved a hand dismissively.

"Then two. One in Caelvyr and one in Elwoodmere."

A low laugh escaped Cassiel.

"Please do not frighten her."

Ysoria looked puzzled.

"Is she afraid of property?"

"That is not what I mean."

Cassiel shook his head.

"She is shy."

Ysoria frowned.

Cassiel continued, "His Majesty recently gifted her a set of gilded gemstone regalia. She did not dare accept it at first. Even after accepting it, she would not wear it."

Ysoria remembered the gold hairpin at Elysia’s temple.

"Today, at the betrothal banquet, I had to insist before she finally agreed to wear a single hairpin."

Ysoria nodded slowly.

"So nothing too extravagant."

She studied Cassiel for a moment before asking,

"Tell me something. Do you actually know what your wife likes?"

Cassiel fell silent.

The question caught him off guard.

Only then did he realise that he did not have an answer.

In their day-to-day life, Elysia was always composed and easy to get along with.

She never demanded anything from him.

She never complained about what she lacked.

The one time she had mentioned wanting something, it had simply been to grow a few things in the courtyard.

That hardly counted.

Cassiel’s expression gradually became thoughtful.

The truth was, he did not really know her.

Or perhaps Elysia had simply never allowed him close enough to see what truly mattered to her.

The thought settled heavily in his mind.

A quiet, bitter weight followed.

Seeing him fall silent, Ysoria understood immediately.

"You two have only just married."

Her voice softened.

"This is the time when you are supposed to be learning about each other."

She gave him a knowing look.

"Besides, I am here. I shall be staying in Caelvyr for a while. I can spend time with her and find out what she likes."

Cassiel looked up.

"You and the Marquess of Gildemont fought again?"

Ysoria let out a short, cool laugh.

"Fought? Who said we fought?"

She lifted her chin.

"We are doing wonderfully. Couldn’t be better. Respectful, considerate—the perfect couple."

Cassiel said nothing.

That settles it then.

It had to be a serious fight.

Knowing his aunt, there was even a good chance she had taken a swing at the Marquess of Gildemont.

Other people might not know it, but Cassiel did.

On the surface, Ysoria appeared distant and composed.

In reality, she had a temper and had never been one to hesitate when anger got the better of her.

"Forget him," she said, waving the matter away. "We are talking about your wife."

Her expression softened.

"She is young enough to be my daughter."

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"I always thought that if I had a daughter, I would dress her in the finest gowns, choose the prettiest jewellery for her and spoil her properly."

She sighed, "Instead, I ended up with two stinky sons."

Then her eyes brightened.

"But now, I have Elysia."

There was genuine affection in her voice.